


Seven Poor Travelers

by Lisafer



Series: The Dickens Arc [5]
Category: Protector of the Small - Tamora Pierce, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Dickens Arc, F/M, Friendship, Secret Relationship, Secrets, may-december relationship, multi-gen romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-28
Updated: 2013-04-28
Packaged: 2017-12-09 19:52:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/777370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lisafer/pseuds/Lisafer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When seven rain-soaked travelers stop at Cavall, Kel and Wyldon are given the chance to talk about their off-and-on physical relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seven Poor Travelers

“The rain isn’t going to let up any time soon,” Neal complained, riding up next to Kel and interrupting her conversation with Owen. 

“I think he’s right,” Kel said with a sigh. They’d been traveling out of Corus for a day and a half, stopping only for the previous night’s rest at a roadside inn.

“We’re close to Cavall lands,” Margarry said with a shrug. 

“There’s a fantastic little inn that we could stay at,” Owen offered.

“Nonsense.” Margarry laughed; it was a sharp contrast to the bleak weather. “Father’s at home, and it’s so dreary. We should stay there instead and cheer him.”

Neal met Kel’s gaze and raised his eyebrows. She knew that Cavall was probably the last place on earth he would want to go, and that Neal was the last person on earth who could cheer up Lord Wyldon. She glanced back at Yuki and Faleron, who were looking miserable in their saddles. Tobe wasn’t bothered, though he had his cloak pulled up over his head like a tent. “I have no problem with it,” she said at last.

“Fine,” Neal agreed, though she could tell how much he didn’t like the idea.

“It won’t be awful,” Owen said, his voice low. “It’s different now that you don’t report to him.”

“Says the man who’ll report to the Stump for the rest of his life!” Neal cried, exasperated

Kel exchanged amused glances with Margarry. “I’ll tell the others,” she said, turning Peachblossom away and riding back to her other friends. “We’re to stop at Cavall to get out of the rain,” she announced to them. Tobe didn’t seem interested at all. Faleron, on the other hand, chose to ride up and speak to Neal. 

Yuki, however, smiled slyly at Kel. “Cavall?”

Kel nodded.

“And will Lord Wyldon be there?”

“Margarry says he will.”

“Have you spoken to him since Midwinter?” Yuki asked, her voice very low.

Kel fought the heat that crept into her cheeks. “Yes,” she admitted. “We last saw each other at Beltane.”

“Beltane?” her friend repeated, almost squeaking.

“We were both in Corus,” Kel explained. “It wasn’t because it was Beltane that we spent time together.”

“And did you…continue as before?” 

“Yes,” Kel answered, her voice so low that she wasn’t sure Yuki would hear her. They had fallen into some strange sort of romance the previous Midwinter, and looking back, Kel wasn’t quite sure how it had happened. After months of growing closer to him, she had realized that there wasn’t anyone she’d rather spend time with. And after those same months of spending more and more time with him, she discovered that all of Corus was gossiping about them being in bed together; the only reasonable thing she could think of, in a fit of boldness, was to earn the reputation she was getting. 

It had been a surprise for her – not only the notion of sleeping with her former district commander and training master, but also the idea that someone she’d known for so long as a distant and often cold man could be so passionate, so warm. For her, no less.

After the Midwinter holiday ended, she hadn’t known what to expect. She had her duties, and he had his. But they had made time for each other, when they could, and met several times over the following months. Two months had passed since Beltane, though, and she had not heard from him. Nor had she contacted him.

She explained as much of this as she could to Yuki, given their company. Neal and Owen knew nothing of this relationship, and she wanted it to stay that way. If Tobe knew anything, he was quiet about it.

“Do _you_ want to stop at Cavall?” Yuki asked, eyeing her.

Kel looked over at her, smiling. “Are you asking, in your round-about Yamani way, if I miss him?”

Yuki laughed and switched to her native language. “I’m asking not only if you miss him, but also if you could possibly be in love with him. And I’ll ask you directly, to suit your Eastern sensibilities.”

Kel was saved from answering by Neal’s approach. “It’s official – Margarry’s insisting that we stop in Cavall no matter what, even if the rain lets up.” He glanced upward. “Not that it’s going to happen any time soon.”

***

Cavall wasn’t what Kel expected. Directly in the path from Corus to the town of Buzzard Rocks, which was their group’s destination, it was situated in the rolling green hills of Tortall. This was wine-country, Owen had explained. While in recent years the business of Cavall had been breeding horses and dogs, its vineyards were the envy of neighboring fiefs.

Even in the grey of a storm, the keep was gorgeous. Mindelan was a small barony, and the grounds were well-kept, but were modest in comparison to this sprawling estate. Margarry and Owen pointed out the stables – the size of which were surpassed only by the palace’s, in Kel’s estimation – and the kennels, as well as other outbuildings of interest. Margarry led the way into the courtyard, chattering gaily with the guards.

“Da won’t mind having so many guests,” she assured them all cheerfully. When they were met by the housekeeper – Helene, according to Owen – she was greeted with a tight embrace. 

“Never thought the Stump would have such a happy household,” Neal admitted in a very low whisper. 

Kel raised her eyebrows. “Even with Margarry being the chipper little thing she is?”

Neal smirked. “There’s always an odd one in every family.”

Margarry told them she was going to the kennels to find her father, and instructed the servants to take care of their things. “Change into fresh, dry clothes,” she instructed, even though her own dark blonde curls were plastered to her round face. “Owen can show you up to the guest rooms.” 

“Bossy little thing, isn’t she?” Neal asked Faleron, snickering.

“Come along, Neal,” Yuki commanded, following Owen down the hallway.

Faleron and Kel exchanged amused smiles. They, too, followed the rest of the group. Kel couldn’t help but study her surroundings – it was a beautiful home throughout, but it barely looked lived in. Tapestries on the walls showed the Cavall coat of arms, as well as depictions of hunts and scenes from Tortallan history. 

“It’s a nice place,” Faleron whispered. “I figured my lord would have scads of dogs in the house.”

Kel nodded. She had expected much of the same. She followed Owen to the room she would be sleeping in, and liked the fact that it had an adjoining room for Tobe. “This is where I stayed,” Owen told her cheerfully. “The view is fantastic.”

She crossed to the window; had it been a sunny day, she was sure she would’ve had one of the most beautiful views of the rolling hills of Tortall. “This is the kind of view you want for the rest of your life,” she said, awed. 

“Sometimes I wonder how Margarry could leave.”

Kel looked over her shoulder at him. “How could she stay, if she loves you?”

He grinned back at her. “I’ll be down the hall – fourth door on the right – if you need anything.”

As soon as he left she pulled clean clothes out of the bags that had been brought up. For a moment her hands rested on the russet red dress she had packed, in case there was some special occasion while they were at the seaside. It was a beautiful but simple gown – one of Lalasa’s creations. Kel wondered, for a moment, if Wyldon would like her in this. It was a silly thought; he never seemed to notice if she wore dresses or breeches or tunics.

Of course, the first time they’d admitted their attraction to one another, she’d been wearing a Midwinter ball gown.

She shoved the dress back into her pack and took out a clean shirt, breeches and fresh underclothes. She wasn’t going to act like a silly girl, playing dress-up to impress a man she fancied. Dressing quickly, she made her way over to the small mirror on one wall and pulled a brush through her drying hair. She looked well enough, she thought. 

A knock drew her from the mirror; Yuki was at her door, looking lovely in a dark yellow kimono with an orchid pattern. “Are you ready to present yourself?” she asked, her voice light.

Kel nodded. 

“Oh, Kel, you can’t wander around a lord’s manor wearing breeches.” She made her way over to Kel’s bags and rummaged through her things. She cried out with delight when she came across the red dress. “You have to wear this! Dinner will be formal, I’m sure. Even Neal and Owen are wearing proper tunics.”

“I’m a working knight,” Kel insisted. “I’m not trying to impress anyone.”

Yuki smiled knowingly. “Of course you are. You’re trying to show off that you don’t feel the need to impress him – and that’s just as bad as dressing up to catch his attention. So you should wear this because it’s appropriate.” 

Kel sighed, but followed her friend’s instructions. She drew the line, however, when Yuki wanted to put combs in her hair. “I feel ridiculous,” she said, pulling away suddenly.

Yuki apologized instantly. “I’m just so excited about this,” she admitted. 

Kel shook her head. “I don’t understand why. You’re more eager than I am.”

“Because you deserve happiness, and at Midwinter you seemed more content than you’ve been in a very long time.”

She wasn’t wrong, Kel realized. “It feels right,” she said softly.

“Then why do you frown so?”

“It’s just so… complicated. There’s Owen’s feelings to consider, and Margarry’s – and the fact that Neal will kill me if he finds out.” 

Yuki touched her shoulder and gave Kel a small smile. “Neal will come around, if you’re happy. He loves you as much as I do. Let’s go downstairs – maybe Margarry will show us around. Or Lord Wyldon.”

***

They gathered in the drawing room, at Owen’s insistence. He had shown them around some of the more impressive parts of the sprawling manor while Margarry was speaking with her father. Kel began to worry that he was unhappy with this turn of events; maybe the last thing he wanted was a passel of young knights and their ladies - and horse master – roaming about his house. Margarry seemed so sure that he would be welcoming, but she also knew that she was always welcome in her father’s house.

Kel was perusing a bookshelf full of tactical manuals and histories of various military endeavors when Lord Wyldon entered the room with his daughter. Margarry was still bedraggled from the rain, and she had a greyhound puppy in her hands. Wyldon, on the other hand, looked the same as ever. His entire appearance was cold and frozen – as though he were a statue that occasionally moved to give orders. The knights bowed to him, and Yuki curtseyed. 

“Welcome to Cavall,” he said, his crisp voice carrying through the large room with ease. 

“My lord, we’re grateful for the hospitality. The rain isn’t letting up at all,” Faleron said politely. He looked to Kel; usually she was the spokesperson for their group of friends.

“It’s no trouble,” Wyldon replied. His eyes were on Kel, but she couldn’t read his expression. “Margarry’s spoken with the cook already, so dinner will be prepared for all of you.”

It was awkward, Kel realized. She wanted to touch him, to speak with him. She had never realized how much they talked with one another, in their most intimate setting. This was the training master before her, rather than the district commander she’d grown to laugh with, or the lover she’d shared a bed with.

Yuki did her best to make the conversation light and friendly – she had always gotten along with Lord Wyldon, despite his dislike for her husband – but Kel barely listened to her friend. Instead, she watched Wyldon, wondering if he would reveal some sign of his feelings. Was he glad to see her?

“Da, you should show them the wine cellars – let Faleron pick out tonight’s wine. He has excellent taste.”

Faleron thanked her. “There’s little in Tortall more impressive than a good wine cellar.”

“Cavall’s is the best,” Owen jumped in enthusiastically. 

Wyldon nodded and gestured for Owen to lead the way, and Margarry and Faleron joined him. “Would you care to join us, Lady Knight Keladry?” His dark eyes were intense, focused on Kel until he shook his head a bit; it was almost as if he was clearing his mind. He turned to Yuki, Neal and Tobe. “Are you interested, as well?”

“I don’t drink, my lord,” Neal drawled. “Mages with alcohol are a bad combination, so I’ve never developed the taste. Nor has Kel.”

“But I _would_ like to see more of the estate,” Kel said quickly, glancing at Yuki meaningfully.

“Neal and I would like to see the stables,” she said quickly, “if that is permitted. We can take Tobe with us, assuming he’d like to join us.”

Tobe eyed Kel for a long moment, his expression unreadable, before nodding. “I would like that, Lady Yuki. My lord.”

Wyldon’s hard mouth twitched into the barest hint of a smile. “Please feel free to.” He told them the quickest route, then looked at Kel. “If you’ll come with me?”

She did, and moments later they were finally alone, walking down a narrow hall. 

“It’s a pleasant surprise, having you here,” he said at last, stopping to look down at her. 

She met his eyes squarely. “I won’t say I was displeased when Margarry suggested stopping here.” When she reached out to rest her fingers lightly against his chest, he immediately placed his hand over hers.

“I’ve missed you, Keladry.” His voice was low, and surprisingly shaky.

She leaned up against him, making up the inch difference in height between them, and pressed her lips to his. It was not the overly passionate or possessive kisses they shared in the bedroom, but something tender and revealing. 

“You didn’t write,” she murmured against his lips.

“Nor did you.” He deepened the kiss, releasing her hand so he could encircle her waist. 

Kel wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. If she were to be perfectly honest, she’d thought a lot about his kisses while they were apart. She’d had relationships before, certainly. And while there had been many nights that she’d fallen asleep remembering the kisses or touches of a fellow, none had made the kind of impact on her that Wyldon had. And now, with his lips coaxing hers, and his weight pressing her against the corridor wall, she was reminded of every reason she’d had to crave his touch while they were apart.

“We should stop,” she whispered breathlessly once she broke the kiss. “Owen could come back, looking for us.”

He released her, stepping back. There was something in his dark eyes that she couldn’t name. “Do you have a problem with others knowing?”

“I-I’d rather know what this actually is myself before telling anyone,” she admitted. 

He nodded curtly. “Then we should figure that out.” He turned to begin walking down the hall, and his demeanor reminded her more of the cold training master of her youth. 

_His feelings are hurt_ , she realized suddenly. She stepped quickly to catch up with him, slipping her hand into his own. “Yuki knows,” she told him.

“And Queenscove?” he asked, eyebrows raised.

“I don’t believe so. He hasn’t disowned me yet.”

She thought she saw the barest hint of amusement on Wyldon’s face.

*** 

“What took you so long?” Faleron asked when Kel finally appeared in the wine cellar. “I was beginning to worry.”

“My lord and I were talking,” she said casually.

“What do you think of this one, Kel?” he asked, showing her a bottle with the Cashor family coat of arms. “It’s from 443 H.E., which I’m pretty sure was an excellent year for the region.”

“I haven’t a clue,” Kel admitted. “I’m not one for drinking wine.”

Faleron looked disappointed, but shrugged. “More for the rest of us, I suppose.”

“That’s one of the best,” Wyldon acknowledged approvingly. “Margarry was right – you do have good taste.”

Margarry and Owen were near the wall of shelves, reading off fief names and years form various bottles. “Did you know Mindelan produced wine?” Owen called out to his friends. “But this is from eighty years ago… So I guess it was whoever had the barony before Kel’s family.”

“They’re like enthusiastic children,” Faleron said with a light laugh, winking at Kel. “It’s hard to think of them as a married couple.”

“Owen will never grow up,” Kel agreed. “And I think he and Margarry are well-suited.” She snuck a glance at Wyldon, who was shaking his head, watching his daughter and son-in-law.

“These passages connect to the rest of the winery – like the place where the grapes are pressed and the barrels of wine are left to age,” Owen said, jogging back over to Kel and Faleron. “You should check them out, Kel.”

“I didn’t realize you care for wine so much.” Kel smiled down at her exuberant friend.

“Jesslaw has wineries,” he explained. “Not as fine as these, though. If it’s raining tomorrow, I’ll take you over there. And I’ll show you the kennels!”

“That sounds nice,” Kel agreed.

“Let’s take this to the kitchen,” Margarry said, taking the bottle from Faleron and giving it to Owen, along with the two bottles she juggled in her thin arms. She led them both down the whitewashed halls again.

Like that, Kel was left alone with Wyldon again. 

“So the manor is built into the hillside?” Kel asked, noting the door that – if her bearings were correct – could possibly open to the yards behind the keep.

He nodded. “This is one of the oldest parts. My father renovated much of the estate when he inherited.”

“So, are these passages that Owen spoke of underground?”

“No – they’re on the ground floor, but are covered by the veranda.”

“We could go there without being exposed to the rain, then?”

“Would you like to see the rest of the winery?”

She nodded. “We have some time yet before supper, if I’m not mistaken?”

He led her through one of the doors, and she was delighted by the sound of the rain, heavy on the veranda. Wyldon was speaking as he walked, but she could catch only one in three words he said. She imagined he was saying what was behind each door they passed; she assumed they were various food storage units. At the end of the covered walkway, there was a large wooden door. He opened it and held it for her.

The room was dark – she wasn’t sure if it was designed to be that way, since she knew so little of wine production. But there was enough light from the door and the small windows near the ceiling to see the numerous barrels of wine. 

“It’s marvelous,” she said in awe. 

Wyldon shut the door behind them, then closed the distance between them in two steps. Kel could barely make out his expression in the dim light. 

“With the door closed, no one will find us,” she noted.

“Precisely.” He held her by the shoulders as he gave her a kiss so fierce it made her knees weak. “I didn’t tell you how nice you look, did I?” he murmured before kissing her again.

“Yuki made me wear this gown,” Kel whispered, then gasped as his lips found her neck. She stumbled backward under his assault, only stopped by one of the large casks. He picked her up and set her atop it.

“I like you in dresses,” he said huskily, and she realized why when she felt his palms sliding up her legs. “Thank her for me.” His hands found their destination, and Kel inhaled sharply.

“This is unfair,” she whispered. 

“Indeed,” he murmured, lips against her throat. But she could hear the amusement in his voice. “Should I stop, then?” 

“Please don’t,” she begged, locking her arms around his neck. 

And he didn’t.

***

Dinner that evening wasn’t as awkward as Kel thought it would be. No one asked many questions about where she had wandered off to; when Wyldon said he’d given a tour, the others accepted it. What reason did they have to think that she had been in the throes of passion with her former district commander? Or that a very tender conversation about where they stood with one another had followed?

It was hard to focus on the conversation over supper while her mind drifted to the afternoon among the wine casks. It was more than sex – she suspected that it had been even before their first tumble, if she were to be completely honest with herself. She loved his conversations, the way she could make him grin wryly, the way he protectively held her in his arms. Maybe she even loved him.

She studied him as he spoke, listening to his cool words even though she couldn’t have repeated a thing he’d said. As she watched his mouth, she recalled what it had felt like against her body, doing things that – outside of the heat of the moment – made her blush. 

“Are you terribly overheated, Kel?” Margarry asked, from her place next to her father. 

“No, I’m fine,” Kel insisted. She gestured to the roaring fire. “It’s a little warm, that’s all.” She chastised herself for her inability to control her thoughts. And reactions. 

“You seem flustered,” Yuki murmured, next to Kel. She raised one eyebrow.

Kel nodded slightly.

Yuki smiled knowingly. “Maybe it’s time to tell Neal,” she said under her breath.

Noting Neal’s content expression as he chatted with Faleron, Kel frowned. “Not yet,” she whispered. 

“When, pray tell?”

“What in the world are you two murmuring about?” Owen nosed in.

“Nothing,” they answered in unison.

“I was just telling her about the brief tour I was given,” Kel said cheerily, fighting the urge to look at Wyldon. 

“Cavall does sound quite impressive, my lord,” Yuki said, a wicked smile crossing her pretty face. Kel fought the urge to kick her.

Neal, meanwhile, looked from one woman to the other, as if searching for his wife’s hidden meaning. He knew Yuki’s smiles even better than Kel did; she panicked at the thought of his inquiries later.

And in fact, after dinner when she was standing at the windows of the great room, looking out into the stormy countryside, she was not surprised to feel his presence near her. The others were engaged in a game of cards while Wyldon and Tobe were in the stables. It seemed that the boy was content there, after an afternoon with equine friends, and Wyldon had more work to do, with a mare soon to give birth.

“I think you’re hiding something,” Neal drawled into her ear.

Kel gulped. “What makes you think so?”

“My wife smiles so wickedly only when there is a delicious secret to be shared.”

“And?”

“I’m assuming, given your whispers at dinner, that her delicious secret involves you.”

Kel continued to stare at the rain-soaked vineyards. Perhaps Yuki was right, and Neal should know. He would be appalled.

“I’ll tell you _my_ deep dark secret,” he offered with a grin.

She looked over at him, amused in spite of her worries. “You don’t have any.”

“That you know of.”

“Fine. Spill it.”

“I’m thinking it’s time to have a baby.”

“Is Yuki—?”

“Not yet. I don’t think.”

Kel digested this. She knew her friends were bound to start at family soon, but she’d always thought of it in a far-away sense. “Are you frightened?” she asked.

“Petrified. And excited.”

“I’m glad,” she said honestly. 

“And your secret?”

“I’d hoped that we could keep talking about yours, so you’d forget.”

“I’m rarely distracted that much. It’s only fair – I told you mine, so you much share yours.”

She turned back to the window, noting how dark the countryside had become. Evening was settling over Cavall. “I’ve become involved with someone.”

Neal said nothing for a very long time. “Who?” he finally asked, his voice low. It was less of a genuine question, and more of a dare for her to admit it. 

“You won’t like it.”

“You won’t know unless you tell me.”

She looked at him, smiling slightly. “Can I just enjoy this last moment before you hate me forever?”

He looked at her, eyebrows arched. 

“It’s Lord Wyldon,” they said simultaneously.

She smiled weakly. 

“I’m not going to pretend to understand,” he admitted with a shrug. “I think maybe you took too many blows to the head during the war.”

“I’m glad I did,” she murmured under her breath.

“Are you sure you’re doing the right thing?” he asked, the lightness gone from his voice. His eyes were serious as he gazed at her.

“How can one be sure?”

“What do your instincts say?”

“I’m happy, Neal. Nothing’s ever felt this way.”

He shuddered visibly. “I can’t believe you and the Stump…”

“Don’t start,” she said, pushing him forcefully. “I need you to be supportive.”

Neal yanked her close for a one-armed hug. “Honesty is part of support, right? Because I honestly think you’re insane.”

***

The rain storms became thunder storms toward the end of the evening. Every so often Kel’s room was illuminated by a flash of lightning.

“My lady, you seem distracted.” Tobe said, as she paced. The door connecting their quarters was open – she liked talking with him before she went to bed, especially since they’d spent so little time together during the day. He was employed at the palace now, completely his own person at the age of fifteen, but she liked to invite him along for travels whenever she could. 

“I’m just lost in thought,” she said with a sigh. “Have you cleaned your teeth?”

“Yes, mother,” he teased. 

“So, what was your favorite part about the stables?” she asked, sitting on her bed and pulling her knees up to her chin.

“The stallions,” he answered promptly. “They’re better than the ones in the royal stables.”

Kel was impressed. She’d heard that Wyldon and his late wife bred the best horses, but it was another thing altogether to hear it from someone as horse-hearted as Tobe.

“Thank you again for bringing me,” he said, coming into her room and sitting on her bed. She couldn’t help but ruffle his hair playfully. “I would’ve never gotten a chance to come to Cavall otherwise.”

She wasn’t so sure about that, but said nothing of it. They continued to catch up, not only on the day’s activities – some things conveniently left out – but also about their past few months of work. When he finally said goodnight and closed the door between their rooms, she sighed. She was feeling restless and far too awake to sleep.

Peering out into the hall, she hoped to see one of her friends’ doors open. But of course, with Owen and Margarry tucked into one bedroom and Yuki and Neal in another, she knew the only hope for a chat with a friend was Faleron. But his door, too, was closed, and no light peaked from under it. But there was a steady glow from the stairwell: someone in the house was awake.

Kel tiptoed down the stairs and, after several turns, found herself outside of the door to what was apparently Wyldon’s office. He was sitting at his desk, holding a miniature painting in his hands. He remained still, apparently lost in thought.

After several moments spent studying him, she knocked lightly on his door. “Do you mind if I come in?” she asked softly.

Shaking his head, he set the tiny painting on his desk. It was a portrait, she could see. 

“Is that Lady Vivenne?” Kel asked, sitting down.

Wyldon nodded, handing her the picture. 

She was beautiful, Kel realized. She had never gotten a good look at the lady of Cavall before her untimely death, but she was mesmerized by her piercing blue eyes and full lips. The painting was old, certainly. The woman featured looked to be Kel’s age, so it was probably from the early years of their marriage.

“She’s stunning,” Kel whispered admiringly, handing it back to him.

He nodded, swallowing. “We met when I had just earned my shield, and we had to wait three years before her father would let me marry her.” 

“So it was a love match?”

“Yes.” He studied Kel, his dark eyes serious. “I don’t tell you this in order to somehow make you feel inferior,” he began reluctantly. “I simply feel that you should know everything there is to know about me.”

“I’d like that,” Kel admitted. 

“I have something for you,” he said, opening a desk drawer to pull out a thin stack of papers. He handed them to her. “They’re not complete – I didn’t know what to say.”

They were letters. Fifteen different letters that he had started to write to her within the last six months. She saw many crossed-out passages, sentences that were started multiple times. “You wrote to me,” she whispered, running her fingers over the sharp, slanted words.

“I’m sorry I didn’t send them, Keladry.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t write at all,” she apologized. “I’m not a very good letter-writer.”

“Neither am I,” he confessed, a wry smile twitching at his lips. 

Kel took a deep breath. “I told Neal about us.”

“I thought you wanted to know what this was before you shared it.”

“I did,” she agreed. “I still do, to some extent. But I also know that my feelings haven’t changed in the last six months.” She looked at the letters, hesitant to meet his eyes. “And I don’t think yours have either.”

“They have,” he said firmly. 

She looked up at him, searching his expression. “Do you no longer…?”

“Quite the opposite, Keladry,” he replied, his expression growing soft. “You’ve reminded me today how much I’ve missed you – how much my feelings have grown.”

Kel frowned. “Because of this afternoon?”

“No,” he said firmly. “Because of the jolt I felt when Margarry told me you were here, and the way my heart leapt at the sight of you.”

Her breath caught in her throat, and she thrilled to hear these words. She hadn’t imagined anything could make her heart race more than when they made love, but this was a testament to how she felt about him emotionally. 

She studied the softness in his expression, and felt a rush of affection. “I – I care very much for you,” she said hesitantly. “And it’s not doubt in my feelings that give me pause, but my reluctance to share my emotions.” Standing, she clutched the letters to her chest. “I think, perhaps, I’ll go to bed now. And read a bit before I fall asleep.”

He stood up as well, walking her to the door. “Sweet dreams,” he said, caressing her cheek. His eyes revealed a depth of affection – maybe even love – that frightened and excited her. 

“I would invite you to join me,” she murmured, “but Tobe’s room is adjacent.”

“We’ll have plenty of time for that in the future,” he replied, kissing her forehead.

***

Kel woke to find the world outside her window sunny and bright. As she had suspected, the rolling hills of western Tortall were breathtaking in the sunshine. The clouds were low in the sky, and made it possible to imagine seeing clear to the Emerald Ocean. 

Their party was happy to be on its way; Margarry was the only one who voiced reluctance to leave, and acknowledged that it was because she loved and missed her home so much.

“I didn’t think about that yesterday,” she admitted with a rueful smile. “I was so eager to see Da that I failed to consider how hard it would be to leave.”

Kel nodded; she couldn’t agree with the tiny woman more.

“We could stop by on the way back,” Owen suggested, hugging his pretty wife from behind. 

“We’re on a tight schedule,” Faleron said, gesturing to himself and Kel. “We have orders to be back in Corus in ten days.”

Neal nodded. “I don’t think stopping again will be possible, unless we were to cut our stay short in Buzzard Rocks.”

Margarry waived her hand dismissively. “It’s not worth all this nonsense,” she said cheerfully. “I’ll come back to visit when Owen’s on border patrol anyway.”

They were packed and almost ready to go by mid-morning. Kel had not seen Wyldon at all since rising shortly after dawn. She’d hoped to have a private moment for goodbyes; instead, she joined Tobe in collecting the mounts from the stables.

Wyldon was there, checking on the pregnant mare. 

“She’s ready to give birth any moment now, my lord,” Tobe said, crossing over to stand next to the stall so he could reach out to the mare. “She’s healthy, though. I think you’ll be pleased with the filly.”

Kel met Wyldon’s eyes briefly and she smiled before she turned and headed toward Peachblossom’s stall, at the opposite end of the large building. She heard him excuse himself from Tobe, and wasn’t surprised when he joined her.

“I’ll be in Corus in three weeks’ time,” he said by way of greeting.

“I might have orders to be elsewhere by then,” Kel acknowledged. “But I will write to you and let you know.”

“I thought you weren’t very good with correspondence.” 

“I’m not,” she said with a grin, buckling Peachblossom’s saddle. “But it’s easier, knowing that you aren’t, either.”

“You won’t be stopping in Cavall again, from what my daughter has informed me.”

“Unfortunately, no,” she replied, standing upright.

“Someday I would love to have you here for a longer spell. I think there is much you would find to like about Cavall.”

“Indeed, I think I already adore it, with just the bits I’ve seen.”

He allowed only the slightest of smiles. “I never imagined you, Keladry, to be wise in the ways of noble courting language.”

She laughed. “I’m afraid I can claim no such skill – I’m just accustomed to the indirect nature of the Yamani language, full of double meanings and sly implications.”

“I’m more inclined to be direct.”

“At least that way you won’t be misunderstood,” she teased. 

Taking one of her hands, his face grew serious. “Don’t misunderstand me, Keladry,” he said huskily. “I asked you from the onset to me open and honest with me, and I owe you that much in return.” He pulled her toward him and tilted her chin upward with his free hand. “I want to be very clear that I’m falling in love with you.” 

She didn’t know who initiated the kiss – it didn’t matter, after all. What mattered was that their feelings were mutual, and that she would not be able to see him for another three weeks, at least. When she finally pulled away from him she was smiling. “I could grow to like being direct.”


End file.
